Forbidden Fruit
by ValarSpawn
Summary: Forbidden Fruit: A metaphor that describes any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have. Itsuki/Mikuru
1. Prologue

Forbidden Fruit

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

Prologue

"I could—no, I should—warn her. I have the power to alter events; I just have to say, "Don't take the usual route home" and she'd listen." The young woman murmured--almost to herself, it seemed--her eyes on the small device that granted her this unique power. If she did this, she would be covering up the can of worms they had dropped. And it would…

"It would be the morally right decision." A male voice spoke, interrupting her stream of thought. "But then…" As he spoke the young man walked from his end of the room towards her, wrapping his arms around her from behind and whispering in her ear. "We would not be standing in this room right now, like this. Of course, in a small part of our minds, we're both thinking the same thing: _this wasn't supposed to happen_."

The young man slowly slid his hands down to the woman's hips before standing back, and now only the ghost of his touch hinted at him having touched her at all. He turned, walking towards the rotating chair at the heavy dark-wood desk and sat down. By his movement, the chair turned towards the window, allowing him to gaze upon the vista the room afforded them.

"If you want to warn her, go ahead; I won't stop you." A pause. "However, to be honest, I think in the long run, it will be a waste of time." The words triggered a wellspring of anger inside her, and she clenched her fists until the knuckles turned white. "What," The young woman spoke amidst clenched teeth. "Are you saying, Koizumi Itsuki?" Despite the angry, serious tone in her voice the man in question found himself smiling.

"_Liebchen_, you may have prevented a whole lot of trouble for us then…" The chair turned, this time to face her. "But are you so convinced that it will be and remain an isolated event, or that his—my—feelings for you will change?" He stood up and walked towards her, leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"Asahina Mikuru, I believe you are sorely mistaken."

_Liebchen_ is German for "Darling"

A/N: This is my first attempt at a Haruhi Suzumiya fanfic as well as a multichapter Itsuki/Mikuru fic. Currently I'm stuck in the first chapter but hope to get out of that block soon. In the meantime, feel free to check out my other stories if you wish! -Valarspawn


	2. The Can of Worms

Forbidden Fruit

["A metaphor describing any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have."]

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

Warnings: Adult Situations, some cursing, OOC Mikuru, and Itsuki's Rant (which I'm not sure if it has any relation to the chapter. This chapter was based on an rp after all. XD)

The Can of Worms

_Glad that's over…_ Asahina Mikuru thought to herself as she stripped off the Neon Genesis Evangelion (Ayanami Rei's pilot suit) cosplay costume from her body and began changing back into her clothes. Thus far, she had put her deliberately faded blue jeans on, and was just putting on her shirt when the door opened. Not looking to see who it was, she let her sentiments known. "Get out, can't you see I'm not decent!?"

In response, Koizumi's Itsuki's soft, apologetic voice reached her ears. "My apologies, Asahina-san. I thought the bathroom was empty." The esper hesitated slightly, wondering if he should address her again before thinking better of it and stepping out from the bathroom and closing the door. He did not have to wait very long however, because the time traveler stepped out of the bathroom, her tote bag hanging from one shoulder and the costume in the other hand.

Mikuru noticed the esper approach, wariness in his stride. It could have been because their factions did not agree on the Suzumiya Haruhi situation, or the fact that she pretty much bit his head off when he accidentally walked into the bathroom (which happened to be unisex, by the way). "Asahina-san, you did pretty well back there." He broke the ice by mentioning her acting in the latest SOS-Dan movie, The Adventures of Asahina Mikuru: Episode 01. "Thanks…you were pretty good yourself."

He emitted a low chuckle, the same cheerful façade on his face. "Thanks, but I still think you were the better performer." He paused, opening his eyes a little to meet her gaze. "Asahina-san, do you have any other plans for today?" She raised an eyebrow at his question.

Why was he suddenly so curious about her schedule? "Well, I'm going to stop by the shopping district for groceries…why do you ask, Koizumi-kun?" Itsuki's expression fell back into its usual facade. "As a reward for a job well done, would you allow me the pleasure of treating you to ice-cream?" At first, Mikuru didn't register the message fast enough.

Once she had, she cracked what she hoped was a smile tinged with regret at the knowledge that she would be missing out on something good. "I'm sorry, Koizumi, but I'll have to pass…Another time, perhaps?" As she spoke she stepped back twice before turning on her heel and walking off. Itsuki, however, was rooted to the spot, smiling despite the disappointment. Then again, he hadn't expected her to say yes, either.

The esper tried to recall any occasion in which Mikuru had socialized with a boy besides Kyon and himself, and those times it was only because of the SOS-Dan. Nothing. Slipping his hands in his pockets, the Esper began walking home. Meanwhile, Mikuru had just reached the train crossing which lay en route to her house. While she waited, the time traveler mulled over what just happened. Koizumi Itsuki, the one member in the SOS-Dan who barely, if at all, interacted with her and member of the organization whose views opposed that of her own faction, had asked her out.

Never mind that it was to celebrate their improved acting in Haruhi's second film, the subliminal message was clear. The real question was: why? _He could be trying to get information for the Agency—which I could solve just by making up something credible—or he could have actually been asking me out, for no other reasons than just socializing and getting to know each other better…_ At this point, Mikuru noticed two things: the first was that the gate barring her way had just lifted.

The second was that she was being followed. Without giving away her newfound knowledge, she crossed the tracks. However, instead of taking the straight path, the time traveler turned right. _Enough turns and he'll give up._ She thought to herself. _It's not like I don't know my way around._

Perhaps it was the Moirae playing with their lives, perhaps it was not, but at that point, a certain esper was in the general area, some blocks away from the train crossing. As he walked, the smiling expression gradually withered away from his visage and Itsuki opened his eyes. This was the long way back home. In fact, whenever the esper went this way, Itsuki was usually sitting in Arakawa's car.

_Still a ways to go. Even now, I can call him. I just have to dial his number on my phone and ask if he give me a ride the rest of the way._ But he did not, and continued to walk forward. It was then that things started happening.

It was insignificant at first, a tiny pinprick on the back of his mind that stayed with him, not unlike the bloodsucking mosquitoes that are always waiting for their victim to drop their guard so they can partake of their blood. It was building up to that one itch that keeps bothering you no matter how many times you scratch it and eventually to some kind of migraine of the likes which the esper had yet to experience. Itsuki's mind was being assaulted with emotions: mainly fear, and for some unknown reason, the frustration at holding something back. At first, he thought that Haruhi had once again, unknowingly created a closed space, only to realize that if that had been the case, his cell phone would be ringing, and all of his power would be accessible to him, not just this mental/emotional empathy that was giving him a headache. Powers reduced only to the most mundane ability, the esper traced the emotional signature to its source. Within seconds, he was running back the way he came and turning into a side street.

Mikuru was running now. Somehow, her pursuer had outmaneuvered her and was practically herding the time traveler towards a small section where most of the streets ended in dead-end alleyways. _Why are you running!?_ A voice inside her mind yelled. _You're not some helpless girl, fight back!_ The time traveler ignored this inner voice. _I can't. I can't fight someone who doesn't know how to defend himself._ Her thoughts were interrupted as she stopped abruptly, staring at the wall in front of her. "No…" Mikuru was well and truly trapped now.

He was sprinting now, attempting to surpass his current athletic limits. A sense of urgency outweighed any exhaustion the esper might feel. Itsuki tried very hard not to think about what would happen if he failed to get there on time. If that happened... _Don't think about that, don't think anything at all!_

His mental voices yelled. _Just run, damn you! _The esper skidded to a partial halt before running into the dead end section in this small part of the city. "Where could she be…?" He muttered to himself, eyes darting to his left and right. Just then a familiar-and-not-so-familiar scream pierced his ears, giving him the answer.

Back in the alleyway, the time traveler was now pinned to the ground, her wrists gripped tightly by one of the assailant's hands. Once again, she attempted to struggle but it was a futile and wasted effort. The rapist, whose face was concealed by a hood, had made sure Mikuru could not get away. An eager grin was the only thing she could see as he pushed her shirt up, revealing her chest. _Someone…anyone…save me!_ She thought, shutting her eyes. It was then that she heard the voice.

"Get off of that girl, you bastard!" Itsuki cried out in anger as his fist connected with the stranger's skull. Taken off-guard by the newcomer, the rapist fell back. At the same time, his black hood slipped off from his head, revealing the attacker's face. A high school student, some otaku who had had one too many fantasies of Asahina Mikuru and decided to cross the line.

His eyes narrowed, watching the assailant stand up and charge at him, seemingly aiming for his gut. However, it was actually a diversion, the real target being the esper's right eye. The fist struck its target and Itsuki stumbled back a few steps, somewhat dazed by the blow to his eye, but still well and able to fight, even though his vision was impaired. Mikuru cried out and tried to rush to his side, but the other high-schooler turned and pushed her back roughly. Her back hit the wall, but the time traveler did not cry out.

The two boys resumed the fight, one trying to pummel the second and mostly missing his targets while the other dodged his blows. The moment the first one began to show a tired expression as he kept trying to punch the esper, Itsuki switched tactics. He grabbed his opponent's wrist, throwing him over himself and slamming him onto the hard concrete, knocking him out. The esper walked over to the time traveler, the slightest hint of anger in his eyes as he noted the cheek Mikuru covered with her hand. "Are you alright?"

He inquired as he helped her up. "I-I'm okay…" She replied, looking up at him, with eyes full of worry. "You on the other hand…" Itsuki held up his hand to silence her.

"As long as you're safe." That ended the conversation, and both teens left the place. Some time later, as they walked towards her house, Mikuru broke the silence. "Koizumi-kun…do you think he'll give up?" The esper glanced down at her.

"That pervert? I hate to say it but I don't know, it depends on how obsessed he is with you." She looked down. "Oh." _Interesting; that high-pitched voice isn't her real voice at all. Is it part of your disguise, Asahina Mikuru? _"If you're worried, I could walk you home…that is, if you're comfortable with that." No response.

Itsuki had just been getting used to the silence when she spoke up again. "Why are you suddenly acting like this? You know the current situation as well as I do." He heaved a sigh. "I'm well aware of the situation, Asahina Mikuru. I'm reminded of it every single day." Pause. "I don't exactly agree with my superiors on everything and last I checked, everyone has a right to their own opinion." The esper turned his gaze on the time traveler.

"And isn't it human nature to think differently?" By this point they had reached the residential area she lived in and were walking towards the house. "Mikuru." Mikuru stopped to face him, eyes narrowed. "What, Koizumi-kun, what?"

Their gazes locked in a heated stare, gold-tinted brown eyes clashing with a pair of darker, orange-tinted eyes that seemed to smolder with some inner flame and why was he thinking that she looked cute when she was angry, or in this case, irritated? "Asahina-san, what is your opinion on Suzumiya Haruhi? Your opinion, not your superior's." He watched her eyes widen at this challenge. Apparently it was a question that hadn't occurred to her. Or if it had, she had not been able to answer it.

As the time traveler grappled with the issue in her mind, they had arrived at the house and gone inside. Mikuru was still mulling over it even as she pulled out the first aid kit from its place in what supposed to be the liquor cabinet (now it stored only alcohol-free beverages, among other things). The time traveler opened the kit and gestured to him. "Let me look at that." He obliged, leaning down so she could inspect the damages.

"Hm. Just like any other black eye." Mikuru pulled out a container from the kit. "This is just going to reduce the swelling, it won't heal the bruises or anything else." The red-haired girl murmured as she carefully rubbed the cream on the swollen area around his eye, being careful not to press down too hard as that part of his face was very receptive to pain right now. "In answer to your question…I really don't have an opinion on Suzumiya Haruhi. I've asked myself that question so often but still come up empty-handed."

"Maybe because Suzumiya-san may be one of those things that are better left alone." He took the white medicinal eye patch she had given him and put it on, concealing his injured eye from view. "Maybe because she is one of those anomalies, that in analyzing, only begets more questions than it answers. There are things that shouldn't be tampered with, and a person can find his or herself wasting a lifetime to find the answers. Why waste your life away like that when you had opportunities for better things: things like friendship, trust…and love?"

This last word came out as a whisper but not so inaudible that Mikuru, who had started backing away from him the moment he started, couldn't hear it. She stopped, realizing what he was saying. "Itsuki—I mean, Koizumi-kun…I can't…I'd be messing with time…and things always go bad when you do that!" The time traveler felt his hands settle on her shoulders and she lifted her head slowly to gaze at him. "Life, and every philosophical ideal that comes with it, are paradox, and sometimes too complex and overwhelming for an organization, let alone one person, to understand. God knows how many theories of life have contradicted each other."

The esper paused momentarily, most likely wondering what to say next. _I will not be surprised if he becomes a politician or lawyer._ The idea made her smile slightly. _Kyon would freak._ Mikuru snapped out of her thoughts as Itsuki resumed his "monologue".

"However, despite these contradictions, the thought behind them is always the same: Existentialism. That one Big Question: "Who am I and what am I doing here?" "Am I real or just a peon in some sick game?" "And if so, why should I follow orders I don't agree with?" He paused. "For all you know, the people around you might not even exist. And if they don't exist, why should you go out of your way to please those people?" Itsuki fell silent, waiting to see how she would react and what she would say. "Because if we don't follow the orders, if we are not obedient, we will destroy ourselves and this world."

When he was doing his philosophical rap, Itsuki had been wearing the same smiling façade she saw every day. Now, it was gone, as if the esper removed an invisible mask. "Forget. Forget the agency, forget the aliens, espers, time travelers and gods! Forget everything." The esper had not raised his voice, but he might as well have been shouting at her. Slowly, Itsuki released his hold on Mikuru's shoulders and turned his back to her.

"Forgive me. I…I'm sorry you had to see me this way. It won't happen again." The time traveler didn't say anything, thinking about what he said. After several minutes, she walked over to him and he turned to regard her. It was around this point that both time traveler and esper lost their reason because five minutes later, they were kissing.

A/N: Here you go! The long awaited chapter 1 of Forbidden Fruit! Was busy and had writer's block, hence the wait. Anyway, please read and review!


	3. Our Dark Secret

Forbidden Fruit

["A metaphor describing any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have."]

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

Warning: Mentions of sex

Our Dark Secret

_I wonder what they would think of the new flavor…_Mikuru thought to herself as she brewed the new tea she had recently purchased. While she had nothing against green tea, the time traveler wasn't fond of it either. And there was also the short story involving green tea that Mikuru read last night. _I suppose it's good if you want to drink something that is tasteless._ The new tea was different; it was a fruit tea for one, and she had never tried the fruit that was the tea's flavor.

It was something the time traveler looked forward to. Finally, it was ready and she filled the cups, like always, and proceeded to serve them to their respective drinkers, as always. The last one to receive his cup was the esper. While still wearing his mask without fail, Itsuki, had failed to distract himself with something else rather than dwelling on yesterday's events. In fact, his habit of freaking out Kyon—something he enjoyed doing because Kyon's reactions were hilarious—was starting to lose its appeal.

The esper lifted his cup to his lips and drank. Itsuki paused, then took another sip before setting the cup back on the table. _Don't jump to conclusions, Itsuki. How could she know that pomegranate was your favorite fruit? You never told and she never asked. _Despite this mental chastising, he can't stop thinking about yesterday.

* * *

It's their first time doing this sort of activity. She is nervous, and he is nervous. Mikuru breaks the silence with a laugh, the kind that is triggered anxiety and nerves. Itsuki pulls her close to him, all too aware of her body pressing against his, and kisses her. Gradually, he explores her body, memorizing all its contours, markings, down to the last detail. The esper is surprised to discover a strange tattoo at the base of her lower back, but now is not the time for this question.

* * *

"Hey, Asahina-san; what flavor is this?" Asked Kyon, the only normal one in this strange group called SOS-Dan. "It's pomegranate. I thought we'd try something new. Do you like it?" Though Mikuru was smiling and talking in that sickeningly sweet voice—it's like drinking coffee with too much sugar—somewhere in the back of her mind she is also thinking about yesterday. The difference is that the time traveler refuses to let it dominate her mind.

Surprisingly, Mikuru sensed a change in her association with Itsuki. Perhaps it was because she felt empathy towards him. After all, it did not take ESP to know someone's feelings. Sitting on her chair, a certain god and alien have picked up on the subtle differences in the atmosphere. The alien recognizes it, even though emotion is still foreign to her. The god can't come up with an answer but keeps trying anyway. The only one who has not sensed it is the human.

Even in the state of mind he is in, the esper also picks up on the emphatic link. For some reason, he is receptive to her emotions now. Because of her moods right now, he is feeling both irritated—and serene?—at the same time. _I wonder if it works both ways…_Immediately Itsuki dismisses the notion. Mikuru would have to have some raised level of psychic ability in order to sense what he felt in his mind. The esper heaved a soft sigh. He would think about this later.

* * *

Like the kiss that led to this situation, it is filled with emotion. Guilt, because they know this is wrong. Love, because he loves her, has grown to love her even though she's his enemy. Uncertainty, because she doesn't know how to respond to this sudden development. And then there are the questions: "What will they do if they find out?" "What if I become a father/mother?" For some reason, the last question is the least of their worries.

* * *

Soon the meeting is over, and everyone packed up and left for home. Everyone, except Mikuru and Itsuki. Kyon is both worried and suspicious about this development but quickly leaves when the only other male member says something that disturbs and/or will scar him for life. Once he is gone, the esper turns to regard the time traveler. Mikuru stares back at him, her gaze as indecipherable as his own.

Though they do not speak, so many things are said, asked and answered. Even though the agreement is mutual, she breaks the silence, for added insurance. "This doesn't leave the bedroom." Mikuru extended her hand towards him. After two seconds, Itsuki takes hold of her delicate hand. "It won't." _After all, you're not the only one who's up to their neck in water…_

* * *

They have finished what they started and now they just lie on her bed. Currently, Mikuru's back is against his chest which means that her rear will be pressing against his groin. Somehow, the esper overlooks that inconvenience and just holds the time traveler close to him. Meanwhile, a question keeps gnawing at Mikuru's mind. She tries to ignore it but it persists, and eventually, the time traveler gives up.

"Itsuki." There's no point in using honorifics or his last name in private, not when they know each other so intimately. "Yes, Mikuru?" His voice, like hers, is tinged with guilt. "Do you think Adam and Eve felt like this when they ate the fruit?" There's no response, not even a whisper. She only feels him pulls her closer to him. In an attempt to console him, she places her hand on his. The silence is answer enough.

* * *

A/N: And here's chapter 2. Not as long as the first chapter I think, but no less interesting. For one, you learn what they did after the end of chapter 1! Anyways, please read and review.


	4. Mascot 2

Forbidden Fruit

["A metaphor describing any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have."]

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

Mascot No. 2

The following day at the clubroom, everyone was doing what they usually did. Well, almost everyone. Normally, the room had a calm, peaceful atmosphere when Haruhi wasn't in the room. This time, she was inside, and a disturbance had yet to occur. In other words, she was regarded as a time bomb that could go off any minute while it was being diffused.

The SOS-Dan leader, you see, was faced with two problems. The first problem was that she needed something that would make the SOS-Dan more appealing to female members—after all, she already attracted a male audience with Mikuru—why not something that appealed to the female audience as well? Her second problem was the story for her next movie. Looking over the first two, the second of which was going to be released in this year's culture festival, the Chief decided that the next story would be a bit more serious and not count as part of the Asahina Mikuru series. But it still needed to contain something weird and amazing; otherwise it would just be plain, boring, and doomed to be scrapped. Turning to face the computer, Haruhi opened up an internet window.

Automatically, the club homepage popped up, but she ignored that and typed in the name of a search engine. Once on the new page, the Brigade Leader opened a few more pages using the tabs feature and typed in the search engine on each, before typing down what she was looking for. For several minutes she looked at the results that came up before choosing the ones she desired. It was the last one that especially caught Haruhi's attention. _"Anything whose appeal is caused by the knowledge that it is something someone may want but cannot have…"_

She went over the words in her mind. Her lips twitched, rising to create a disturbing grin. The Brigade Leader cast a general eye over the other four members. Nagato was reading, a normal occurrence (although for some reason Haruhi was fixated on the fact that the book was Isaac Asimov's _Second Foundation_). Next was Kyon, keeping a watchdog's eye on Itsuki, who was talking with Mikuru.

The Brigade leader's grin widened. She had just killed two birds with one stone. While Haruhi was pondering how to solve the two problems, the esper, who was halfway through the first cup of tea, noticed the time traveler was reading. Well, to be more technical, he noticed the title of her book. Itsuki had read the book once himself, found it an interesting read (although the second short story, _The Familiar_, pretty much bored him and while reading _Room in the Dragon Volant_, he kept asking himself why had no one made it into a film yet) even though he leaned more towards historical fiction.

"You're into gothic fiction, Asahina-san?" Mikuru looked up, bookmarking the page. "Yes. I've wanted to get this one for a while, but the store didn't have any in stock. I just started reading this yesterday." He took another sip of his tea. "You won't be disappointed. Personally, I found _The Familiar_ boring and the action unnecessarily slow."

The time traveler blinked. "That's the one I'm reading right now and well, so far it hasn't been interesting. I'm tempted to skip this one but I don't like doing that with new books." It was at this point that the time bomb went off with a spectacular blast. "I've got it!" Haruhi cried out.

She threw her head back and laughed. "It's so obvious, how come I did not see it sooner!?" Kyon cleared his throat, cutting her off. "What is so obvious, Haruhi?" Kyon instantly regretted asking as he saw her crazy smile.

"I have figured out how we can attract female viewers as well as the plotline for the next film!" Sigh. "Let's hear it then…" _Whoever the next victim is, I feel sorry for them…_ Kyon drained his cup and got up for a refill.

"Minna-san! We were successful in using Mikuru as a mascot to attract a male audience to see our movie, but now the time has come to expand on that idea." Pause. "We need someone who can pull in female viewers!" Kyon's reaction was instantaneous, his face drained completely of color. Itsuki was more composed, inwardly surprised that he kept on his mask even though on the inside he felt a strong sense of foreboding.

The pattern was starting to look familiar and he didn't like that. Suddenly, Haruhi whirled towards him and pointed at him dramatically. "Koizumi Itsuki, consider yourself the new mascot of the SOS-Dan!" She turned to the time traveler. "Mikuru, I'll leave you in charge of finding suitable costumes and while you're at it, try to find military uniforms; we'll need them for the movie."

Mikuru nodded. "Of course, Suzumiya-san, leave it to me." She looked over to Itsuki, who seemed to be frozen. "You look like a small part of you died a very cruel death, Koizumi-kun." The esper slowly glanced over at the time traveler.

"I feel like I was coerced into selling my soul to the devil." The time traveler merely flashed him a cute smile, the kind that said "Welcome to my world. Enjoy your stay!" Sighing, the esper looked down at his cup. _Kyon…I see where you're coming from now…_ After that, the atmosphere in the clubroom was restored to its original state, as Haruhi was trying to think of a good, attention-grabbing plot that would keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Yuki and Mikuru both resumed reading while Itsuki and Kyon started playing _La Brisca_. Since Itsuki was the only one who had any experience playing the game, it was only fair that he teach the other boy the rules. "Alright, you have the four suits: Coin, Cup, Sword, and Club. Apart from the one-through-seven you also have the Knave, Knight and King. You with me so far?" Kyon nodded. "While you can determine the face value by counting the suits on the card, there are only five cards that really matter."

His fellow member drank some of his tea. "What are the five cards?" The esper chose some cards from the deck and placed them in front of Kyon: Ace, Three, Knave, Knight, and King. "Ace has the highest value in the game, eleven points. Ironically, the Three is also important as it has a value of 10. King, Knight, and Knave have a value of four, three, and two points respectively. Finally, there's the _Brisca_, which is the trump suit." It did not take very long to explain the rest and they started the game. Absorbed in the game, neither of them noticed Mikuru look up from her book in interest.

_Usually when they play, Itsuki deliberately loses to Kyon. This time…This time he looks focused. He doesn't intend to win, but he won't give Kyon easy victories, either._ She blinked, wondering where she had drawn that conclusion. Frowning, she decided to think of something else, namely the costumes they would need to get.

_Let's see…I guess we could get butler and doctor; Haruhi-chan will probably insist that we complement each other. And I guess it's time for new costumes?_ The time traveler glanced over at Itsuki, and quickly covered her flushed face. _G-get a hold of yourself, Mikuru! Just because he would look sexy in a WWII SS uniform is no reason to lose your head. You're a professional, so act like one!_ She scolded herself.

Nevertheless the image persisted, and it would not be long before she slipped into some private decadent fantasy. The truth was, though she seemed like the last human on earth guilty of such, Asahina Mikuru had a fetish for uniforms. For the most part it would be certain uniforms with certain colors (among these, strangely enough, a limousine driver's uniform). But amongst all these, there was one kind that the time traveler that was an all time MOE: military uniforms (she was also into clerical uniform, but she had to blame Shibamoto Thores' artwork for that). Mikuru was especially partial to the design of the German WWII uniforms.

What did military uniforms have that fascinated her so much was probably something she would never know and most likely never understand. But if she didn't stop or derail her train of thought right now, she would have to excuse herself to the others to go to the bathroom… At the same time that the time traveler was going through this mental battle where the voice of reason was pitted against primal urges, Itsuki and Kyon were playing the game. For once, Kyon was trying to be more competitive. It was because the esper was being competitive, which was a welcome change from all those glory-deprived victories.

The deck was down to two cards: the _Brisca_ and one other facedown card. Whoever won the next bout would get the Ace of Swords and acquire eleven more points. The esper's eyes narrowed in concentration. Kyon had been the winner of the last bout and so had to go first. This worked to his advantage to an extent: once Kyon's card was revealed, he would counter it properly and if he was victor, get the Ace of Swords.

The other boy threw down a card. And this was when it got awry. Just as he was going to select the card, his concentration was thrown off by a small tornado of emotion, mainly comprised of lust and the determination to quench it, to suppress it. In reality, his face reddened only the slightest bit as he tossed his own card on the table and promptly lost this bout and the one after. Itsuki did not mind the loss, but he had feeling he knew what—or rather who—caused it. But that was a question for another time.

* * *

*The book that Mikuru and Itsuki are discussing is J. Sheridan Le Fanu's _In a glass darkly_. It is comprised of a collection of five short stories, three of which are mentioned here: _Green Tea_ (in chapter 2 Mikuru alludes to this story being one of the reasons she switched teas),_ The Familiar_, and _Room in the Dragon Volant_. The other two stories that were not mentioned were _Mr. Justice Harbottle_ and _Carmilla_.

*Shibamoto Thores is a member of the Trinity Blood Partners (Thores, Kiyo, and Sunao) who work on the series _Trinity Blood_. Thores-sensei is the character designer and mainly does the artwork for the series.


	5. Allnighter

Forbidden Fruit

["A metaphor describing any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have."]

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

A/N: This chapter mainly deals with my conjectures concerning what the Time Traveler Faction does when it comes to Damage Control in Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. This is what one comes up with when one sees "Last Stand of the 300 Spartans" too many times plus The Dark Tower series and maybe a bit of Doctor Who. In addition, it also includes flashbacks of Mikuru's childhood. Also, keep in mind these are merely conjectures; I haven't read the novels yet.

All-Nighter

It was another working night for her, which would mean a huge mug of coffee for her in the morning. And while she was going to be irritable and generally off-character for the first half of the day, Mikuru would go back to her "usual" self at around lunch. Heaving a sigh, she put the earphones on and did something most would consider suicide: she free-fell off a skyscraper. It was one of the largest in this part of the tri-city area and doubtlessly if the others had seen her, two boys were likely to be in shock (although the second wouldn't be so obvious about it; he'd yell at her later for scaring him like that). With The Offspring's _The Kids Aren't Alright_ blaring in her ears, the time traveler positioned her body so that Mikuru was now running along the side of the building.

Soon, she kicked off of the glass wall for extra propulsion, the stiletto heels of her boots cracking the glass. The time traveler kept this up until she reached the rooftop of another building equally if not larger, than the one she had been standing on. Throughout the procedure, Mikuru's mind was both focused on her actions and reflecting on the past. She had not gained these skills for nothing.

* * *

Age seven. Mikuru was now qualified to take the examinations that, should she pass them, will pave the path towards her career of choice: time travel. Other than a desire to find the mother she lost, she is uncertain of what other motivations she should have. Like the other seven-year olds, Mikuru feels both anticipation and dread. The first time, every child of age seven must take the examinations.

If they failed, they were then free to decide whether or not to try again. Those who passed however… The little girl sighs. She doesn't know what happens to the examinees that pass the examinations. Clenching her tiny delicate fist, she swears by her mother's memory that she would make her proud.

Mikuru could not, no, would not fail. Failure was an unacceptable outcome.

* * *

A humorless smile graces her face as she grabs onto a thin rod at the top of a building, propelling herself with her body before letting go. The time traveler had to find it, find it and somehow burn that cancerous sore on the skin of existence. That thing which, seeing as they had yet to come up with an original term to describe it, used "thinny". It was a word found in a fictional series called _The Dark Tower_. While not everything described in the books had been sighted or occurred, there were enough disturbances—and this was putting it lightly—that countermeasures and techniques had been developed, technology improved and refined, and finally, humans like herself who were trained to do battle against those threats.

The thinny as it was called, was an area where the barrier between worlds—for there were other worlds—could be passed despite that there was no portal. In short, a weak spot in reality where reality had worn thin. It resembled a large blob of mercury in appearance and emitted a sound similar to warbling musical saws. The sound was the reason Mikuru had put the volume of her ipod at maximum capacity. This was where the danger came in.

The sound would often set someone's teeth on edge, possibly induce insanity if heard long enough, which wasn't so bad compared to the second danger. The thinny could hypnotize, playing on the person's thoughts and innermost desires, promising a fine outcome: all they had to do was enter. The time traveler bit her lip. _None of them came back. _

* * *

She passed but the little girl will barely have time to bask in her victory. Mikuru would come to find that the training was extreme, even by the standards of the military. It did not matter though. Time travelers dealt with time and occasionally, the space between dimensions and worlds. Nothing happened in Between Space, but that did not mean it was empty.

Soon she finds out that the reason it was considered extreme was because the time travelers had taken a leaf from the Spartans' book and refined the _agoge_ system to suit their time and situation. It was likely that some standing in the same group as her would not survive the training, but they are never warned, not by their parents or the time travelers that will mold them into another generation. Even now, at seven years of life, Mikuru's looks work against her: the little girl can see two time travelers standing off to one side, inspecting the group and determining who would be the survivors. The little girl, however is unbothered by that; she is too focused on her goal.

* * *

_It's closer._ Mikuru thought as she hit the ground, landing in a crouching position but never coming to a full stop. The time traveler could hear its faint siren song even through the music so she switches to the next song. For the most part the ipod was loaded with songs she loved and hated and the one playing now is an annoying number called _Deus Ex Machina_. Mikuru lost track of how long she had been running, but the time traveler was hardly fazed if at all.

However, at one point she does stop. Or if you want to get technical, was forced to stop. The time traveler ran right into an invisible wall, which gave only slightly and pushed her back. Quickly recovering from the shock, Mikuru moved forward but at a walking pace, and stops before the space where she judged the wall to be. _If my suspicions are correct…_

The time traveler struck the wall, watching as the place of impact flashed white and a pulsing ripple spread out from the spot. Her eyes widened. _When did this pop up and how long has it been there?_ Being mostly time traveler and one part Slyder (actually Mikuru was still studying to complete that course, but had to stop when they assigned her the Suzumiya Haruhi mission)—people who could cross into other worlds and dimensions—Mikuru was not a stranger to the concept of what the Agency called Closed Space, she just knew it by a different name. And from what was known about them, it would take many lifetimes before one appeared and were generally harmless, sometimes a blessing.

If the Remote Dimension/Closed Space contained something that could at some point become dangerous, a function could be applied to the Remote Dimension/Closed Space to make it work as a prison, as they tended to have little to no significant other than changing the scenery (if any) to suit the person's perspective. Normally, Mikuru would leave it alone but she had to make an exception for this one. The thinny was in there and she had to get rid of it. After making a few adjustments, the time traveler walked through the wall of the Remote Dimension. It was a fact and not an exception that Remote Dimensions were almost always empty and generally uninteresting because of their emptiness.

However, this Remote Dimension was not empty, far from it. Strange blue giants lumbered about the area, causing meaningless destruction. They, for Mikuru was looking at two of them, had no definite shape and their bodies were a color she associated with the blue-stained cold drinks you bought at the movies. A strange association but it was the first that came to mind. So far, the two giants had yet to notice her.

_Maybe I could use them…_ The time traveler thought to herself as she ran, trying to find the thinny but at the same time not be noticed by the rampaging giants. Then again, it was dark and Mikuru was clad in black from the neck down. For the second time that night, something made her stop. "Great. As if tonight couldn't get any weirder."

She muttered under her breath. "First it's blue havoc-wreaking giants and now it's red UFOs." The time traveler narrowed her eyes as she watched the red spheres moving towards the giants. Most likely they were not aware of her presence either and if they were, the red spheres considered the giants top priority.

The battle had barely started when she saw it. Heard its faint call.

* * *

They never tell you outright what manner of dangers they will face that will require them to be in the physical condition they all gain by the time they are official time travelers. They simply assume that you are smart enough to figure it out. In fact, when she enrolls in North High to start the mission, Mikuru finds it difficult not to put all her effort in Physical Education. The instructors in charge of P.E., or rather, what would pass for P.E. in her time demand that the trainees give their all and more besides. If Mikuru gave her best efforts in P.E. in this time, she was all too likely to end up being labeled a superhuman and thus compromise the mission.

* * *

High above, Koizumi Itsuki and the other Agency members, the ones in the vicinity of the Closed Space at least, are about to start working on eliminating the shinjin. At first, they don't notice the sound of the thinny, which is located in a niche formed by the ruins created by Haruhi's rampaging blue behemoths, working into their systems; they are too focused on the shinjin right now. Just as they start fighting however, something happens to both shinjin: an invisible force viciously tears one arm from each giant. Instead of disintegrating like they're supposed to, the arms remain intact and are pulled down somewhere below. At the same time, the strange background noise he was only vaguely aware of up to this point is distorted, and it only now that the esper takes notice.

Naturally, they all have questions but those can wait until they're finished here. Meanwhile, at the niche, Mikuru examined her work. The combination of thinny and whatever substance those giants were made off had done something. While she could use the material to close that thing for good, the time traveler also worsened the sound. It was still the same sound, but now it just went on incessantly and kept getting louder.

"Better finish up before my ears start bleeding." She pulled out an oval-shaped object, similar to a hand grenade except that the metal seemed more liquid than solid and glowing encryptions and code ran up, down, and all around on the metal surface. The time traveler threw the strange sphere at the thinny. The effects were immediate.

The grenade-like object, upon making contact with the thinny began to simultaneous absorb and spread over the area where the thinny was. Even more amazing was how fast it did this before turning solid and merging into the matter of its surroundings, as though nothing had been disrupted in the first place. Mikuru watched the red spheres, which she now knew to be the espers, descend to the ground as the Closed Space collapsed into nothing around them before turning around and walking away. It would only be awkward if she confronted them now.


	6. Scripts, Movies, and Messages

Forbidden Fruit

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

Scripts, Movies and Messages  
(The Devotion of Suspect X)

"How long do you think it will take them to get here?" Itsuki asked as he pressed the remote's PLAY button. Mikuru looked up from the book she was currently skimming through, _Polymnia_. "Well, the most general route is by train but there are actually better and more efficient shortcuts. You'd probably know a few since you live nearby."

Pause, and she added something else, probably addressed to herself rather than the esper. "Although it's news to me that your apartment is two blocks away…" He laughed at her remark and pulled her close to him. Mikuru did not stop him, resting her head on his shoulder. At the moment, they were watching a movie titled _Yougisha X no Kenshin_, mainly to pass the time while waiting for the other three members of the SOS-Dan to arrive. "Itsuki, where do you suppose this is taking us?"

The esper sighed, having anticipated the question. "If I knew, I would have told you. And you still haven't told me whether or not my feelings are unrequited." The time traveler's face flushed red in embarrassment. "…Must you bring that up?"

Nod. "You can't avoid it forever, Mikuru." She sighed. "I know it's just…I don't want to hurt you. And there's so much that can go wrong." _And there's him…_

Mikuru added silently. _Itsuki, if he knew about you…_ The time traveler broke off there, lest she somehow transmit some of her private anguish to the boy beside her. These past few days, Mikuru had, after much backtracking and recollection, pieced together the reason that she and the Esper seemed more…connected.

_It's because we are connected. Somehow we now have a completely empathetic bond, or a bond based on the concept of empathy. Due to him being an Esper, he can pick up my feelings and emotions and I can more or less pick up his, but only through intuitive feeling, which limits my perception and the information I receive._

It was crazy, but at the same time this conclusion made complete sense to her. "Mikuru, even if my feelings are unrequited, apparently the attraction is still there." Itsuki's voice pulled her back to reality. "Could you repeat that?" She asked, meeting his gaze.

"Even if my feelings aren't returned, that doesn't mean you're not attracted to me." Mikuru blushed. "W-what!? How am I attracted to you!?" He slid a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. The time traveler suddenly realized how close their faces were.

"If you weren't attracted to me, Mikuru…you would have pushed me away." Mikuru did not respond, gazing into his eyes. The esper leaned in, and she lowered her eyelids until her eyes were partially open, like his. _I want to look into those eyes…_ The time traveler thought as she prepared for the impending kiss. Her lips were just short of brushing against his when the doorbell rang, interrupting the moment. Reluctantly, Itsuki pulled away from her and she got up, feeling strangely put out and annoyed at whoever dared to interrupt them. Opening the door, Mikuru was expecting to see the other SOS-Dan members but instead was presented with a young man. The time traveler could not tell how old he was, but she guessed that he was in his twenties, perhaps early to middle twenties. He wore dark sunglasses so Mikuru was unable to see his eye color and therefore assumed the man was blind or just liked wearing sunglasses at this time of day. He did have long hair though, a golden-brown color and currently braided, though it looked like the braiding had been a rushed job. "Um…Can I help you?"

The stranger looked up from his watch. "Yes. Yes, you can. There's a message I need to give you." The time traveler raised an eyebrow. "Message?" _Could it be new orders from home? _"Yes, I'll make it quick so you can go back to whatever you were doing, miss."

He cleared his throat. "You're in a storm at sea, and so far everything is fine. But things will be a lot worse from here on in. Even so, the shore can be reached. Never forget that." Mikuru did not answer right away, turning over the cryptic message in her mind. "…I understand. Forgive me for asking, but have we met before? You seem…familiar, somehow." The visitor raised a finger towards his lips as if to indicate silence.

"Unfortunately kid, I'm not at liberty to answer that question right now. But I'm sure you'll figure it out." He glanced down at his watch. "Ah, it seems my time is up. Later." And just like that the stranger walked off, heading down a side street. The time traveler frowned.

"That voice…I know it from somewhere…" She whispered to herself. "Is everything alright?" Mikuru nearly jumped in surprise. "I-Itsuki, don't do that, you scared the living daylights out of me!"

The esper sighed. "Never mind—oh, here they come." As he was speaking, Itsuki happened to glance towards the main street usually used to reach her home and spotted Kyon and the other two girls of the SOS-Dan. It only took a few seconds for Haruhi to spot them and run over, dragging Kyon and Yuki in her wake. "Hope you two weren't bored while we were on our way."

Haruhi said as she let go of Kyon and placed her bag on the floor. "Did you happen to come up with any ideas for a good plotline? That's been frustrating me a bit…" _So that explains the closed space the other night._ Itsuki thought to himself. "Unfortunately, Suzumiya-san, I haven't been able to come with anything that could help the plot."

The unwitting god turned to Mikuru. "What about you? Any ideas?" The time traveler shook her head. "No, but maybe we could work on the characters?" Haruhi assumed a thinker's pose, mulling over her suggestion as the others looked on.

Five seconds later, the Brigade Leader announced her approval and soon they were all sitting at the living room while tea was being brewed in the kitchen. "Hmm…Character development, character development…Got it!" Haruhi began writing something down on her notebook. When she finished writing, she slammed the pencil onto the notebook. "Well, I've figured out the main protagonist, the heroine and the antagonist; the first two conceal their true selves from the world. As the main protagonist, Itsuki's character is someone who has been wronged, and because of that experience, he wears a mask that belies what he is truly like. He's also working towards avenging that wrong."

The Brigade leader paused to glance at Mikuru. "Your character is always and automatically stereotyped by others, and due to circumstances you are forced to wear the image people have of that character. In fact, it's so ingrained in the character's system that she's starting to slowly make that image reality. And the villain…" Grin. "He's a real piece of work. For unknown reasons, he has a misogynist attitude—more contempt than hatred—towards Mikuru's character and is always picking on her and bullying her. However, he also lusts for that character and wants her to be his in every sense of the word." As Haruhi spoke this last part, the color gradually drained from Mikuru's face, until she was incredibly pale, the color tinged a slight green.

"Asahina-san, are you alright? You look a bit ill." Kyon inquired, eyebrow raised. All too quickly, the color returned. "I'm fine, Kyon-kun; it must have been something I ate." Pause.

"The tea should be ready about now, I'll go check." She rose from her cushion and went to the kitchen. As she prepared the tray, Mikuru tried to force herself to relax. Haruhi's description of the villain had shaken her, the reason being that she did know someone like that. _Could Haruhi's power be influencing her inspiration?_

The time traveler thought to herself as she filled cups and placed the kettle on the tray before walking out of the kitchen and back to the living room. "Here." Mikuru placed the tray in the center of the table and took her seat between Itsuki and Kyon. They continued discussing the film and drinking tea until it was time to go home. The esper lingered around a bit more, and walked up behind her as she was rinsing the tea kettle.

He wrapped his arms around her and gently kissed her cheek. "Mikuru…" The time traveler watched him from the corner of her eye. "Even if my feelings aren't returned, you will always have my love and no other girl will ever take your place, though they are welcome to try." Frowning, Mikuru put the kettle away.

It touched her that Itsuki loved her that much, although she didn't see why he should not try a relationship with other girls. For a slight moment, jealousy threatened to rise inside her at that suggestion but Mikuru quenched it quickly. Sighing, the time traveler placed a hand on one of his arms. "Thank you, Itsuki…even though you didn't have to." The esper let go of her and turned her around to face him.

He was smiling, but it was a genuine smile. "My love is mine to give to the girl I love…I will give it to her, even if she's supposed to be my enemy." Those words said, Itsuki kissed Mikuru's lips softly before taking his leave, leaving behind a time traveler who suddenly had too much on her mind that would require much thinking and meditation.  


* * *

~References~

Polymnia: Muse of sacred song. Also the seventh volume of Herodotus' _The Histories_, the significant event recorded here being the 480 B.C Battle of Thermopylae.

_Yougisha X no Kenshin_: _The Devotion of Suspect X_. A film based on a novel series by Higashino Keigo as well as a compilation of Higashino's _Detective Galileo_ series. The only reason this ended up as a Subtitle is because of a MAD video in Youtube that was the trailer for the film but with the SHnY characters in the roles of the movie cast. Itsuki himself was cast as Ishigami Tetsuya, the man suspected to be connected to a murder. If you want to check out the links you can send an email or reach me at my Youtube account DragonEmperorMycen if you have a Youtube account.

And now for a few questions. You don't have to answer them but it doesn't hurt to try:

1. The backstory for Itsuki's character in the Omake film resembles what classic?  
2. Judging by how well you know the series, and the character's mannerisms, who was Mikuru's mystery visitor? [Hint: This question would lead to spoilers if guessed right so the answer won't be posted. Just curious to see if you figure it out.]


	7. Proof and Reunion

Forbidden Fruit

["A metaphor describing any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have."]

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

In answer to the first bonus question of the last chapter, Itsuki's character in the Omake Film was based on the protagonist from Alexandre Dumas' _The Count of Monte Cristo_.

* * *

Proof and Reunion

The humanoid interface only raised an eyebrow, and then only very slightly, to demonstrate signs of interest. There was new data. However, it was coming from a source that was not the subject the Data Integrated Thought Entity assigned her to observe. The data, from what she saw so far—she had not taken the time to thoroughly analyze it—was emotion-based. While foreign to her it was not as if there was no hope of her learning them.

As Yuki climbed up the hill the humanoid interface passed Kimidori Emiri, the girl who had the honor of being the SOS-Dan's first client. Once parallel with her, Yuki began speaking in the computerized hyper speech used by all humanoid interfaces. When she finished, the light green-haired girl uttered a short reply in the same language before nodding slightly towards Yuki and increasing her pace as they walked up the hill. Inside, Mikuru was at her shoe locker, changing from the brown ones she wore to school every day and changing into the plain white sneaker-like shoes that students wore for the entire time they were at school. It was a custom she had never really comprehended and apparently one there had been no satisfactory answer to other than "that's just how it is."

The time traveler turned to leave and gave a startled yelp as she was faced with Tsuruya. "H-How long have you been standing there, Tsuruya-kun?" The other smiled sheepishly. "He he, sorry for the scare, Mikuru-kun; it's just that hairstyle really suits you." Mikuru blushed at the compliment.

"A-arigatou…" For once, Mikuru didn't wear her hair down as she always did. This time, part of it had been gathered into a huge bun, which was surrounded by a sterling silver band decorated with small blue lotuses while the rest of her hair hung down. "I just wanted to try something different, really…" The other girl gave a short bark of a laugh and flashed a thumbs-up. "Well, it megas suits you, nyoro!"

Mikuru laughed a little and the two girls walked to their classroom. In his own classroom, Itsuki was already at his desk, looking out the window. He sighed, sensing the lives and deaths of the minutes of peace he had before they arrived. "They" of course, was the group of fan girls the esper had somehow acquired without trying, and the majority, if not all, were in his class. It leaned towards the absurd: Itsuki could talk for hours on end about some philosophy or scientific theory and they wouldn't be bored, because their attention would be completely focused on him.

This situation naturally made Valentine's Day something of an anticipated horror because it meant he would be FLOODED with chocolates, even though there was really only one girl whose chocolates the esper desired. _Does she even know how to make them?_ He wondered, glancing at his watch absentmindedly. Thirty seconds of peace were left. In another classroom, Haruhi and Kyon were at their own seats, contemplating their surroundings in silence.

Kyon was just going through his usual stream of thoughts. Some were the ordinary concerns of a high school student—grades, homework, social life, love life—while others leaned to what he dubbed "Haruhi-ism"—any trouble caused by Haruhi's innate powers—when the girl in question said something that brought him out of this. "Sorry, could you repeat that?" Frustrated sigh. "Have you noticed Mikuru-chan and Koizumi-kun recently?"

Her question brought out mixed feelings in him: near-heavenly bliss at the mention of the time traveler's name and irritation because the unrealized god had pulled in the irritating esper's name right after that, tainting Mikuru's person by having her associated with Itsuki. Momentarily, Kyon entertained a brief fantasy of him as a knight rescuing Mikuru-hime from the malicious oni Koizumi before answering Haruhi's question. "Not really. Was there anything I was supposed to notice?" Pause. "That style looks good on you, by the way."

The brigade leader flushed slightly as she flipped her ponytail in boredom. "Well, maybe it's just me but…something's changed between them. Before they barely spoke to each other, now they interact with each other a bit more than before but it's not such a drastic change. They act towards each other as they always have and yet…something is different." Kyon studied Haruhi's face to see if she was pulling his leg only to remember Haruhi wasn't like that. Also the dark-haired brunette looked serious and thoughtful. "Care to elaborate on that 'difference'?"

She nodded. "Well, it might sound strange but they seem…linked. And whatever is linking them spreads out such a long distance even though they're in the same general area every week day." Fortunately for Kyon's fantasies, Haruhi could go no further as class was about to start. The day went by in this fashion until lunchtime. Mikuru had finished eating and was walking down one of the second floor hallways when some noise from below caught her attention and she moved towards the side that looked out into the school's inner courtyard.

Looking down on the scene below, the monster that was jealousy filled her heart for a fleeting moment before the time traveler hastily began to clamp it down. Down in the courtyard, Itsuki looked down at the girl. It was a classmate of his, by the name of Yamanami Akesato. She was a shy girl and mostly kept to herself. _And apparently one of my admirers…_

He thought, looking at the letter in her hands. However, the esper hadn't seen her amongst the bolder, noisier bunch so he guessed she was too shy to do it in front of others. "Erm, Koizumi-kun…this is for you." Akesato gave him the letter. So as not to frighten the girl—she seemed rather skittish—Itsuki smiled at her.

"I will be sure to read it, Yamanami-chan." Akesato smiled shyly in gratitude before running off. Looking down at the letter, his mask fell as he tore the note in half. _Forgive me, Yamanami-chan, but someone has already laid claim to my heart._ Itsuki thought apologetically watching as a strong breeze seized the loosely held pieces and blew them to parts unknown.

Some instinct prompted him to look up just in time to see a familiar red mane disappear from his line of sight. Back on the second floor, Mikuru tried to regain her composure and calm her now rapidly beating heart. _Itsuki…you meant what you said to me last night. You really did give me your love…_ Somehow, the time traveler manage to hold back her tears at remembering the guys back in her time plane, time travelers or something else entirely, had never planned on going into something serious. They were nice people but quite a few had just wanted to get into her pants.

Walking in silence, her lips slowly formed into a firm line of resolve. She would talk to him after the club meeting. He wasn't exactly an early arrival but then again Haruhi had never set a time for them to show up. Belatedly, the time traveler realized that she needed to hurry and get to her class as the lunch period would be expiring soon. Mikuru started walking faster and later on she was jogging to the classroom.

Right after the last bell, everyone met at the clubroom like they usually did. As always, Mikuru was wearing the maid costume but this time she had substituted the purple dress for a maroon one (it was mainly because purple did not suit her so she switched. So far Haruhi hadn't objected to the change.). As always the time traveler prepared and served the tea, although today she was somewhat detached from reality and looking inwards into her thoughts yet still able to retain focus of her surroundings. Momentarily, her eyes flicked to the door when a certain esper came in but otherwise not much else. "Koizumi-kun, let's play that card game again. Only this time, the gloves are off: no teaching games."

The other male club member said as he walked in. The esper smiled and brought out the deck from his bag. "Sure. Let's play. I'm warning you though, I'm pretty good." Mikuru chose that moment to speak up. "Would you mind including a third player?"

Almost immediately she had their attention. "Are you sure, Asahina-chan? You've never played and you're probably not familiar with the rules." Kyon pointed out to her. The time traveler nodded. "You're right but I was studying the teaching game you two played the other time. The game looks interesting, anyway."

Itsuki gestured at the table, inviting her to sit. "Well, looks like she wants to play despite your well-meant advice, Kyon. Take a seat, Asahina-kun and I'll shuffle the deck." Mikuru nodded and chose the chair beside the esper's usual seat, more out of deliberate intent than anything. _He'll probably retain that expression under pressure, anyway._ She thought as Itsuki finished shuffling and held out the deck.

"Highest ranking card gets first turn." And so the game began. Eventually, the meeting ended and everyone prepared to leave. Itsuki had one foot out the door when he heard Mikuru call out to him. "Yes?"

He glanced back at her, an eyebrow raised. "It's…It's about yesterday." She paused, looking down as her face began to heat up. "What about—are you feeling well, your face is getting red." The time traveler brought her head up sharply, startling him.

"What do you say to a probation period, Itsuki?" At first, the esper failed to comprehend the message. _Probation period? What does she…oh, now I see. _"I'll try not to fail your expectations then, Mikuru." Mikuru let out a sigh of relief, her face returning back to its original color.

"That's good. Now can you step outside? I need to change." The esper placed a hand on the doorknob but could not resist a parting tease. "But why? I've already seen everything that's under those layers." He quickly stepped out before she could respond. Mikuru sighed and shook her head as she started changing back into her uniform.

It was shortly after she returned from school that the time traveler's day, which had started out so well, crashed into ruins. Mikuru was doing her history homework (she had to write a report on some aspect of Tokugawa-era Kyoto and she had chosen the Shinsengumi) when the doorbell rang. "Hmm, wonder who that is… If it's another door-to-door salesman…" The time traveler walked to the door and opened. "Hi. Is there anything I can…"

Mikuru trailed off as her eyes took in the person before her. It was a boy about her age, his black hair styled so that the lengths were artistically uneven, one end being short and becoming longer as it went to the other end. His gray-blue eyes were frigid as frost. He smiled at her, a smile that never reached his eyes. "It has been a while since I last saw you…partner." Staring him down, something inside her froze.

"Indeed. Perhaps too long…Damien Hesselius."

* * *

Akesato's surname is also the surname of famous Shinsengumi vice-commander Yamanami Keisuke.

Damien's surname was borrowed from Dr. Hesselius in Le Fanu's _In a glass darkly_. This character was the one who had made reports on the stories mentioned in the book and for the most part narrates all the stories except Carmilla, which is narrated by the heroine, Laura.

**Remember to read and review! It would be much appreciated, nyoro~!**


	8. New Member

Forbidden Fruit

["A metaphor describing any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have."]

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

A/N: Sorry for the delay, not only was I kept busy but I also had trouble coming up with an ending for the chapter. Anyway, don't forget to read and review!

* * *

New Member

"I don't like him." Tsuruya murmured as she and Mikuru were eating lunch. The time traveler looked up from her bento, startled. Tsuruya usually got along with everyone, and there were very few people, if any, that she disliked. "But Tsuruya-kun, he's only been here a day, no, my mistake, a few hours and you dislike him already? At least talk to him and get to know him better."

Secretly though, Mikuru was happy her best friend had not been swayed by her silver-tongued partner. "Why don't you like him?" The dark green-haired girl scratched her head. "He's cold. Even if he's smiling, it's megas fake because it never reaches his eyes." _Wow, a bulls-eye._

She thought, biting into a rice ball. After chewing and swallowing the bite, Mikuru spoke up. "But wait Tsuruya-kun. By that logic shouldn't that apply to Koizumi-kun as well?" The other girl mulled over the question for a few seconds before answering. "Not necessarily. Even if he always has that Kitsune-face expression 24/7, Koizumi-kun is a good person, even though he seems to hide his true self. This Hesselius-san though…he doesn't exude any kind of good will at all, just cold and bad vibes, nyoro."

Meanwhile, in another part of the cafeteria, Itsuki was explaining to Akesato why he was unable to return her feelings. "Unfortunately, I've already sworn my heart to someone else." Akesato nodded, adjusting her glasses. "It's okay. I didn't think you would, anyway." The esper raised an eyebrow at this revelation.

"Why would you think that?" The girl took a sip from her drink. "You weren't interested in the other girls, for starters but I digress. Whoever this girl is, she must have done something to catch your attention." Inwardly, he sweatdropped. _Not quite, Yamanami-chan; she did it with little to no effort…_

"I did not expect you to take this so well." Akesato shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not like your fangirls." Pause. "You'll probably pull it off, but I'm going to warn you anyway. Quite a few of that mob, maybe all of them, won't be happy to learn you've already got a love interest. In a lot of ways, girls can be quite cruel when it comes to these things so make sure they don't find out who she is."

She then picked up her cup and drank the contents inside while Itsuki ruminated on this new piece of information.

"_In some forgotten past life he had been a respected man, firmly established in society. While he did not have everything going for him, he was satisfied and happy with his achievements. And then for some reason, Providence decreed that he should be stripped of his happiness and be declared a menace, a criminal. Somehow he was able to escape the high atmospheric sky fortress-prison of Kenlis, which was where political prisoners were held. He escaped and assumed a new guise._

_From a high-ranking military officer he became a terrorist. Surprisingly, due to some formidable binding clause, the government was unable to seize his fortune and so he drafted a new account under a new name, and used his fortune to fund the campaign for his revenge. He did not regret using his money for this enterprise. The expenses will soon be worth it."_

"Well, what do you think, Kyon?" The boy closed the notebook and slid it back towards the god. "I got to say, Haruhi…you're putting a lot of effort into this one." Pause. "He's something of a Byronic Hero, this one…what was his name again?"

Haruhi sighed. "As proud as I am of the character I haven't been able to think of a name that suits him. It's frustrating, really." She looked at Kyon. "What do you think I should name him?" Kyon studied the sketches Haruhi had drawn alongside the description.

The first was a sketch of the character (Itsuki being used as the model since he would be playing the role) clad in a uniform similar to the WWII German uniforms. A long coat was draped on his and a rifle was casually resting against his shoulder, his stance relaxed yet ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. "European." The God looked up. "What?"

Kyon looked up from the sketch. "He strikes me as an European, so give him an European name." Haruhi crossed her arms, thinking it over. "European it is then." Finishing her lunch, Mikuru left the cafeteria.

_Where could he be? I need to coordinate with him for the weekend!_ She thought as she walked down the hallway. It was just as the time traveler was beginning to get irritated that she bumped into someone and nearly fell back. "Who—oh, it's you." Mikuru murmured as she pushed herself up.

"Are you alright?" Itsuki helped her up. "You seem to be in a hurry. What is it?" She pushed back a stray lock of hair and looked up at him. "We need to coordinate for the weekend. Haruhi wanted me to find costumes for the new mascot, remember?"

Itsuki's expression fell. "Oh…I was hoping Suzumiya-san would forget that." The time traveler rolled her eyes. "When hell freezes over." She placed a hand on her hip.

"Well? When are you available?" Mikuru watched as the esper pulled out a notepad-style planner out of his pocket and look through it. "Actually I've got nothing this Saturday. Would that be convenient?" Nod. "That will work."

_Should we bring the others along?_ The time traveler wondered. At the least, she would probably have to include Haruhi; the Brigade leader had given her this "mission", but she would probably want to look at what merchandise was available herself. _Decisions, decisions…_ "Asahina-chan, can you tone it down a bit? I'm starting to feel the pressure…"

Mikuru blinked, eyes widening in surprise. "You figured it out too?" He nodded. "I've had my suspicions ever since that game…" Absentmindedly, the time traveler played with her hair as an awkward silence settled over them.

After a few minutes, Itsuki broke the silence. "Saturday?" Pause. "Saturday." Silence reigned again as an indecipherable gaze passed from one to the other, the words contained in that gaze that only they understood.

After a few minutes, Mikuru broke the gaze, a rueful expression on her face as she glanced at the esper one last time before running to her classroom. Time passed quickly, and soon school was over for the day. Like always, Mikuru was on her way to the clubroom only this time she was not alone. Instead, the time traveler had a companion with her, Damien Hesselius. "I have to warn you, the chances of you being accepted are slim; she already has what she wants."

Pause. "She doesn't want double of that." Damien nodded, brow furrowed in concentration. "We'll just have to wing it, then." He murmured just as they stopped before the clubroom door.

Mikuru opened it, putting on her mask. "Um…Suzumiya-san…there's someone in my class who's interested in joining the club…He's a new student and just transferred today." The time traveler walked in just as the god left her seat to inspect the SOS-Dan hopeful and judge if he was deserving of membership. After several minutes had passed, Haruhi spoke. "What's your name?"

Mikuru watched as her partner assumed an expression between a smile and a smirk. _All my female colleagues in my age group as well as the older trainees love his smile, even though the smiles never had any warmth. Not for them, he wasn't interested in them but he loved—more amused than anything, really—the attention they lavished on him and thus humored those silly girls. As for me…those smiles were colder still._ "Damien Hesselius, huh? So you're from overseas, then."

Haruhi remarked, crossing her arms. "That's right, although one of my parents is Japanese. I transferred here because I wanted to experience my father's culture." He said, flipping back his longer locks of ebon hair. A smile, and not of the warm variety, formed on the Brigade leader's lips. "Hmm, I wasn't really expecting to get a new member, much less a member with your role."

Everyone, Damien included, raised an eyebrow. "And what role is that?" Kyon, ventured to ask as he made his move on the Go board. "Foreign transfer student, of course! Kyon, what club doesn't want a foreign student in their member list!?"


	9. Allnighter II

Forbidden Fruit

["A metaphor describing any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have."]

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

AN: I'm SO sorry for the long wait, I had a writer's block for quite some time on this chapter but I finished it today. It feels a little rushed but here it is at last!

All-Nighter II

"That maid dress…it is so much more becoming on you than your real uniform." Damien whispered in her ear just as they parted ways. Watching him take his own way home, she sighed. The vicious cycle had begun anew, like it always did. Some way or another, he would find some way to hurl insults at her.

And as always, Mikuru would act like she did not hear him. The time traveler was already used to this; she's been working with him from the moment she became a professional, after all.

* * *

"He's rather friendly with you, isn't he?" The jealous edge to Itsuki's voice pulled Mikuru out of her reverie and for a few seconds she stared at the esper, puzzled. "I'm sorry?" He began tapping his pencil against the table's wooden surface. "Hesselius-san…He is friendly towards you, perhaps too much for my taste."

The time traveler sighed and refilled her cup. She had been expecting that. "We're just colleagues; he and I were partnered together shortly after graduation. Damien-kun is not…an old flame; in fact, I doubt I could label him "friend." Mikuru replied, drinking her tea. "How did you come to be partnered with him? And if you don't get along, couldn't you have requested a switch?"

Itsuki inquired, reaching to hold her spare hand and running his thumb across the back of her hand. "Impossible. Time travelers are partnered with those who are closest in age. At the time, he was the only person closest to my age in our class." She placed the cup back on the table. "Doesn't this problem impede your teamwork when you're at work, though? Partners who don't get along can jeopardize a job, you know." The time traveler covered his hand with the one that previously held the cup.

"There's a place and time for everything; these spats of ours have no place at work. Those…we leave them for when we're done and until we have a new case." The esper sighed, taking the hand he had grasped earlier and kissing it lightly. "Something about him still rubs at me the wrong way, though." Mikuru smiled, leaning over the table and placing a soft kiss on his lips. "I'll be fine but it's sweet of you to worry."

Sigh. Itsuki cupped her face with his right hand, stroking her cheek. "Of course I would worry, Mikuru: I love you, remember?" The time traveler could not hold back the heat rising to her cheeks at his words. He smirked, dropping the pencil on the page he had been writing on before moving over to Mikuru and capturing her lips with his. At first, she resisted but it was not long before the time traveler sighed and succumbed to the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.

The esper slowly lowered her onto the floor, a hand cupping her face as they kissed. It seemed like forever before they broke the kiss to breathe, and while that was fine, both Itsuki and Mikuru wished it could have lasted longer. The esper shifted his position so that the time traveler was on top of him. He felt her body rise and pulled her back down. "A few more minutes? We'll get back to homework in a bit." Mikuru smiled slightly and placed a feather-light kiss on his lips. "Five minutes."

Several hours later found two time travelers on a tall skyscraper conversing in low voices. Both were dressed in black clothing so as to better conceal themselves in the darkness. "So what's the crisis?" Damien flipped his hair back. "While I was out today I found there was a sector that was affected by time compression. Luckily, it wasn't so advanced that it was beyond my ability to quarantine the thing."

Mikuru's brow furrowed in thought. In this day and era, time compression—or rather, time-space compression—was a technological term for processes that accelerated time and distance. In her time, that definition still held. Immediately after it was time compression: the concept of condensing the whole of time and space into a single moment. The exact specifics and details regarding the concept were still unknown, but it did not take a genius to realize that such a concept would undoubtedly spell dire and possibly irreversible consequences were it to occur. Sighing, she looked to her partner.

"Avante or Vanguard?" Damien cracked his knuckles. "Vanguard." She nodded to him and leaped off the building and he followed in her wake, easily keeping pace with her as they jumped, ran and propelled themselves from building to building. When they got to the area however, something prevented the time travelers from moving forward.

At this Mikuru groaned in frustration. "Again?" Damien raised an eyebrow. "Again, you mean this isn't the first time?" She nodded.

"In my last job, the thinny I had to close was within a Remote Dimension." The time traveler deliberately omitted the presence of the espers, though she could not say why. "Anyway, I'm going in; you find someplace where you won't be disturbed." Damien nodded and ran off into the darkness while Mikuru braced herself before charging into the Remote Dimension. Meanwhile, Itsuki flew through the air attacking the giants, ganging up on them one by one with his fellow Espers.

For a moment he thought he felt something enter the Closed Space, and shrugged it off; the giants were the higher priority at the moment. All the same, he couldn't help feeling something felt off about this Closed Space… Down below, Mikuru crouched near a partially demolished sky scraper, a holographic image of a complex keyboard in front of her, which came from a small electronic device similar in appearance to a mine. "Okay, I've got most of it decoded." Mikuru frowned at Damien's words.

"Most of it?" There was some static but she still received his answer. "The lock on this one is very complex. I've had to go through several ciphers to figure out the combination." Pause. "Type down what I'm about to tell you. Ready?" The time traveler took a deep breath, fingers poised above the keys. "Speak to me."

Still fighting the giants—there had been more of them than normal but nothing the Agency couldn't manage—Itsuki felt something give in the atmosphere. He couldn't be certain but the air about him felt lighter, and he himself felt he wasn't giving his all in killing the shinjin. The red orb zoomed through the air with its companions, cornering the last of Haruhi's blue giants before cutting it to pieces. The work of a moment, the giant vanished and the Closed Space's existence was terminated.

The esper barely heard Mori's words as he gauged his surroundings. Nodding at her parting words, Itsuki made as though he was walking home but once the other Espers had vanished from his sight he quickly turned right back. The esper approached one of the more isolated buildings in the area, being careful to make sure he was not detected. Once Itsuki judged he was close enough, the esper reached out and grabbed whoever was there. Sure enough, someone was there but the person's identity caught him completely by surprise.

"Mikuru!?"


	10. The Right Gift

Forbidden Fruit

["A metaphor describing any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but cannot have."]

Disclaimer: I do not own the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That is owned by…whoever conceived the idea of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya! (walks off)

The Right Gift

_It's hard to stop yawning if you didn't sleep much last night and the weather's not helping…_ A certain esper thought to himself as he handed a plastic bag containing purchases to the customer that just paid him. "Thank you for your patronage. Enjoy your books." He said, somehow managing a cheerful smile despite how tired he was. Itsuki wondered when his break was coming up, if at all.

The esper shook his head in an attempt to wake himself up properly, his mind lingering on last night's meeting.

* * *

"Time compression? Isn't that applicable only to machines and technology?" He inquired as he refilled her cup. Mikuru began drinking almost as soon as he finished the refill, taking a few gulps before answering his question. "For the most part it usually applies to that, it's true. By my time however, two definitions exist." She paused to drink more tea before putting the cup on the table. "Are you familiar with Final Fantasy VIII?"

* * *

"Thank you for your patronage and enjoy your reading." He sounded more convincing this time but only because his cashier shift was done for the moment. Itsuki was still working, only now he was reorganizing the shelves and helping customers find the books they wanted. While reorganizing a shelf of cookbooks he did not immediately notice the lady standing beside him looking at the books. She looked at the titles, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

Finished with the cookbooks he noticed her plight and addressed her. "Do you need help with something, ma'am?" The young woman smiled as she nodded. "Yes, I'm trying to find a gift for my husband." Itsuki smiled back as he put on his "helpful employee" face.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" The esper inquired as he led her through rows and rows of bookcases. "A book on astronomy but I'm having a hard time finding the section. Also are there any books you can recommend?" A smile graced his lips. "Certainly, ma'am. We also have a good selection should you prefer to look through them yourself."

* * *

"Time compression means focusing the past, present and future into one point, causing them to merge and exist all at once. However, if it goes on long enough it also means the end of existence. Luckily, the focus point had not been around for very long." Itsuki raised an eyebrow. "A focal point that just happened to be within the radius of the closed space. Coincidence much?"

Mikuru drained the cup before reaching out to grab his hand. "Pretty much. It's strange though…Statistics put those with a 10% likelihood of occurring in Remote Dimensions, even less in actual reality." A pause, followed by a sigh of resignation. "Then again, this is Suzumiya we're talking about."

* * *

He lead her to the Astronomy sub-section in Science, asking questions regarding her husband's interest in the field and recommending books that were best suited for whatever he was researching. This eventually lead to a more personal exchange, regarding hobbies, common interests and such. After a while, the young woman picked out a few books before turning to him. "Seeing as we've gotten to this point, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to know your name." The esper nodded in agreement.

"Likewise. Name's Koizumi Itsuki, but you probably already knew that because of the nametag." She smiled, taking the extended hand and shaking it. "Nice to meet you. Admittedly it's quite a coincidence that you have that surname, it's not very common."

Blink. "Are you saying you're a Koizumi too, ma'am?" She nodded. "Koizumi Mikuru. Pleased to make your acquaintance. It's unlikely but we could be distant relatives."

The customer remarked as he marked the books at the cash register. "What are the odds of that happening? Anyway, the total should be showing up on the screen about now, Koizumi-san." He put the books inside a bag as she used her credit card to pay for the books, studying her out of the corner of his eye. There was something oddly familiar about this woman.

What that was he couldn't say and since she was wearing sunglasses at the moment, the only detail reminiscent of anything was the length and color of her hair: the same as a certain time traveler's. "It was nice talking to you and thank you for your patronage. Hopefully your husband will be satisfied with the books." She smiled. "Oh, there's no doubt of that. He can be quite the astronomy nerd when the mood gets him. It's cute."

She headed towards the door, waving goodbye to him as she walked out. "Please come again soon!" Itsuki called out. It was something typically said to costumers but he actually meant it that time, having enjoyed her company. "She seemed familiar…but how?" He mused as he closed the register and began closing up shop.

A block away from the store, the young woman entered a café and headed to one of the tables. A young man with light brown hair worn in a ponytail waited for her. "Well…?" He inquired as she sat down, shifting in his seat impatiently. Sighing she handed him the bag.

"Here. The last editions of these books, since I couldn't give them to you on your birthday." Her companion smiled, reaching out to take her hand. "I appreciate the thoughtful gift, love. The only thing that's better than this is being with you." She giggled upon hearing his words and squeezed his hand.

"Corny…but it's sweet of you to say that all the same. Speaking of which, you were so cute back then. Of course, that isn't to say you aren't cute now." She said as a waitress approached the table to take their orders.

A/N: Many apologies for the long-ass wait..._ Anyways, I'm not too happy with the chapter on some parts--that there's only two flashback sections is just the start--but overall it's alright. Now...to figure out what happens in the next chapter. Also, there is a small(coughnotreallycough) hint as to who the mystery adults are. I'll just leave you to your guessing now, don't forget to read and review! =D


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